Hope

"I'll get it," said Tre on hearing the doorbell but knowing Franky was still a little tearful.

Tre goes to answer the door as Franky blows her nose and tidies herself.

"Hey Franky!" Comes this familiar voice coming into the room minutes later.

She turns to see Ramona, beautiful in a red dress that so suited her.

"Hi Ramona, you look amazing." And she did, she'd got better as she'd got older, beautiful and more confident. Ramona shone.

"Want a beer?" Says Tre going to the fridge to get his second and one for Ramona who'd nodded her answer to him.

Franky saw Ramona looking out the window into the garden. She saw her eyes looking for someone then staring and smilng as she'd found who she was looking for.

Joey.

So.

She was still hung up on him. God, right back from way back she'd liked him. There hadn't been anyone else that she'd gotten along with as well as him. They were such good friends, had shared so much, they were like a couple anyway but they hadn't taken it that one step further.

Franky hoped they would.

"He's alone if that's what you're wondering." Franky said to her knowing that sometimes when they'd had get together's Joey was with someone. A different person every time. Just...some girl he'd always said.

"He looks happy."

"He is, Adrienne thinks he's up to something."

"Really?"

"So she says."

"May be he's met someone, someone...special. That's probably it." Said Ramona unable to tear her eyes away from Joey.

"But you speak to him all the time, hasn't he told you?" Franky said knowing that the two of them were always talking on the phone.

"No. I've never seen him look this good." This was true, he looked so good, mature, glowing almost. Something or someone was making him happy and she needed to find out even if it broke her heart.

She'd have to hide her feelings, pretend she was happy for him, she'd done it so many times over the years with other girls that he'd been out with so what was different now?

Something was different this time, she could feel it.

Suddenly Ramona didn't feel as confident as she did when she came in.

She glugged from her beer and reluctantly went outside to hear Joey's news.

**

"James, hi." Said Franky letting him in.

She wasn't comfortable with him, she knew he wasn't the same as he was all those years ago but she couldn't forget what he'd done.

"So where's the birthday girl?" He said.

"She's in the garden, I'll get you a drink and you can go on through."

"Thanks."

**

She watches James talk with Hope and wonders what she's saying to him and what she's thinking.

As the doorbell rings she doesn't see Hope hand him the envelope and promise him not to open it until later.

**

"You know you suit red." Joey says to Ramona as he sipped from his beer.

"Do I?" She says, blushing slightly and unable to believe that at her age she's just blushed in front of Joey who she's known all her life.

"Yes. You used to have this red t-shirt that really suited you." He said then he too blushed slightly.

"What red t-shirt? I can't remember a red t-shirt."

They were rambling. So....this is what it has come down to, he's now awkward in front of me thinks Ramona. I've known him all my life, he's seen me at my worst and best and now he can hardly talk to me because he's met someone special. He's met someone special and he's going to introduce us soon, he'll probably marry her, have children with her and things will never be the same with us again because his new wife won't understand the relationship we have.

"Come with me." Joey said. Well, whispered.

"What?" Said Ramona.

"Come with me, down the garden, away from everyone, there's something I want to say to you." He said. But he'd started heading off down the garden before she could answer.

So this was where he'd tell me he was going off with the new woman, they'd probably emigrate and she would only see him once in about every five years.

Where was he? She thought as she got to the bottom of the garden. She glanced around but couldn't see him.

"I'm here." She heard and turning to her right she saw him standing under the apple tree that had been there years.

God, he looked so good right now.

"There you are. What's going on, everyone will wonder where we are." She said then laughed at the expression on his face.

"I don't care about anyone else at this moment. Ramona, come here I need to say something, something I should have said years ago. I should have known then."

"What...what are you talking about Joey."

"Ramona do you trust me?" He said.

"Umm...yeah....course I trust you. You know me better than most people. Why do you ask?"

"Because I love you Ramona. I love you more than the best friend you've always been to me. I love you like I want to be with you always. That kind of love."

Ramona's heart skipped beats, she didn't know how many but it felt like loads. She felt lightheaded and put her hand out onto the apple tree for some support.

"You love me?" She said, her face frowning deeply. Had she heard him right?

"I love you. I always have. I've wasted time, wasted years, precious time that we could have had, I should have known when I was with Ellie that it was you I should have been with. Well, I did know I just thought you wouldn't want me like that and I didn't want to spoil what we had."

"You...you love me?" Ramona said again, astounded. Was this really happening?

"Ramona I love you, I want to marry you and I've bought you this." He said producing the little velvet bag from his pocket.

Ramona's breath caught as she opened it to find a ruby ring, her favourite stone.

"Oh my god Joey, you're kidding, its beautiful, its perfect, its..."

and he didn't let her finish because he pressed his lips on hers, something they'd both wanted to do for...well, for years.

**

"Looks like we'll be cracking open loads of champagne tonight," said Tre as he poured champagne into glasses, "wait until Billie hears this. His son and my daughter. Amazing. Well always said they should get together you know." And he disappeard outside with a tray full of champagne and Franky watched as he handed them round to everyone, everyone smilng and congratulating Ramona and Joey.

Such wonderful news. They were so right together, it was obvious.

Had it been that obvioius between her and Billie? Did people think they should have been together?

Did people still think that they should be together?

Billie.

The love of her life who she knew she hadn't treated well. She'd let him down, she was ashamed.

Where was he?

He should be here by now, she hadn't seen him for days.

Yes, it had been days, days that felt like weeks.

May be it was time she got her act together and grew up, stopped living in the past.

Her mother was right, she had to move on and she needed to do it today.

Then the doorbell rings, frantically bringing her out of her Billie thoughts, who the fuck was this ringing on the bell like that?

"Ok, ok, I'm coming," she shouted on the way to the front door.

It was Hannah, looking awful and alone and distraught almost.

"Oh my God Franky, please, I need to speak to you alone, away from everyone."

"What is it Hannah, come in, what the hell's wrong?"

"Oh Franky. You're going to hate me. Everyone's going to hate me."